In February 2025, Mongabay India published a video on the Monpa community in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, who harvest the endangered Himalayan star anise (Illicium griffithii), locally called lissi. The aromatic spice has long held culinary, medicinal, and cultural value for the Monpas and today it is also a vital source of seasonal income.
The story revealed how Himalayan star anise, listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, faces multiple threats, such as overharvesting, deforestation, poor market access, and a new unknown pest infestation. These pressures have contributed to a major decline in the number of trees: over 60% of its population has vanished in the last 84 years.
Despite the global demand for star anise, this variety’s prices have plummeted and it has been edged out of the market by more commercially cultivated species in China and Vietnam. Without local demand or access to stable markets, Monpa women found themselves unable to sell their painstakingly gathered harvest, even months after the season ended.
Impact
Mongabay India’s reporting led to a direct connection between WWF-India and the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC), resulting in the first-ever direct procurement of Himalayan star anise from Nyukmadung village in Arunachal Pradesh.
WWF-India had been working with Monpa communities to promote sustainable harvesting but lacked access to reliable buyers. At the same time, NERAMAC was looking to purchase star anise directly from producers but was hindered by middlemen. After reporter Barasha Das introduced the two organizations, they reached an agreement.
In February 2025, NERAMAC purchased around 3,000 kg (approximately 6,614 lbs) of star anise at Rs. 190 per kg (about $2.16/lb), significantly higher than what local traders offered. The harvest was delivered to a Kerala-based trader for essential oil extraction. NERAMAC has since expressed interest in sourcing from additional villages and exploring the procurement of other parts of the plant, such as dry stems and leaves.
Villagers of Nyugmadung collect payment after the successful sale. Image courtesy of Hirak Jyoti Baishya.
We are nonprofit.
Help us tell stories of biodiversity loss, climate change & socio-environmental injustice.
“We are thankful to Mongabay India for making this connection possible,” said Hirak Jyoti Baishya of NERAMAC. “Direct engagement with farmers has been something we’ve been seeking for a long time. This partnership will help build a sustainable market for star anise, and we also plan to explore other local produce, ensuring better community upliftment in that region.”
Kamal Medhi, Senior Expert on Community-Based Conservation at WWF-India, echoed the appreciation, calling the connection “the most critical aspect” of their project. “We were already in talks with the villagers, but when we received the order from NERAMAC, we trained them in proper segregation and packing. The order volume was larger than what Nyukmadung alone could supply due to a low harvest, so villagers from Lubrang and Senge Dzong also contributed,” he said. “As a result, three villages benefited last year.”
The impact extended beyond trade, as Medhi noted that the partnership improved market access and helped WWF-India better understand harvest segregation and packaging. As a result, the NGO now plans to provide drying units and packaging equipment to help villagers improve the quality and marketability of their produce.
“This year, the villagers are hopeful again for a good trade since they received better prices than local traders offered. We are already in talks with NERAMAC,” he said.
For Medhi, the strategic value of Mongabay India’s video was in communicating the product’s unique value to the government. “Earlier, it wasn’t always easy to explain the issue to officials. Now we show the Mongabay video to all stakeholders. It’s succinct and informative, and it has made a real difference. Departments, especially the Forest Department, now understand the situation better, and are more responsive.”
While challenges associated with the decline of Himalayan star anise continue, the Mongabay story has become a key tool for WWF-India’s advocacy. “We plan to approach the state government directly, using the Mongabay report and video as one of the key references,” said Medhi.
During her trip to Nyukmadung in December 2024, Mongabay’s reporter remembers that local resident Pem Choton felt uncertain about the prospect of selling her harvest. “Now, she is optimistic,” says Das.
Though Choton said she only sold about 40 kg of star anise, less than in previous years, she remains hopeful about a growing market and better income this year. The Gaon Bura (community leader) of Nyukmadung, Karchung Monpa, also expressed gratitude for the intervention, noting the benefits it brought to his village and to neighboring ones.
As a result of independent, nonprofit journalism, the feature has led to a direct, on-the-ground impact by connecting institutions, strengthening livelihoods, and building optimism among Arunachal’s Monpa community.
Support independent environmental journalism
If you are interested in helping shed light on conservation issues such as this, there are two excellent ways you can do so with Mongabay. First, consider making a donation, which directly helps us continue to produce high-impact journalism from nature’s frontline. Second, subscribe to Mongabay’s newsletter to get the latest environmental news delivered right to your inbox, and share whatever articles move you with friends and family.
About Mongabay
Mongabay is a nonprofit environmental science and conservation news platform focused on providing original, reliable, and independent journalism from nature’s frontline. We pride ourselves on producing reporting that has substantial and tangible impacts around the world.
Banner image: A woman from Nyukmadung cleans and sorts star anise flowers, which will next be sun-dried. The spice is globally cherished for its aromatic essence in the kitchen, pharmaceuticals, perfumery, and more. Image by Surajit Sharma for Mongabay.
Stay updated
Delivering news and inspiration from nature’s frontline.
